S10.E03: Cutthroat Food Star

[Bella]

 

A Food Network Star must have the knowledge and ability to adapt to any circumstance that arises. In two heats of five, the finalists bid on sabotages to saddle their competitors with, then battle it out in the kitchen, Cutthroat Kitchen style. Alton Brown runs the festivities, and the finalists' dishes are critiqued by Bobby Flay and Chef Jet Tila. The winning finalist in each heat keeps his or her winnings, while the least-successful competitor hits the road.

 

[GaT]

I am not looking forward to this episode at all. I do not watch Alton's show because I hate when contestants try to sabotage people instead of winning by cooking the best. I don't need to see this crap on TNFS.

[Lamb18]

I actually am looking forward to this episode because I like Cutthroat Kitchen!  I don't mind the sabotage there because it's set up as part of the game.  Plus it's funny.

[NikSac]

I find it kind of funny on Cutthroat Kitchen since it's part of the 'game' going in, but I'm not too excited about it being on Food Network Star. We'll see how it goes I guess. I just hope a good chef doesn't end up getting cut because of the gimmicky part of it.

[Lillybee]

I hate that we got an hour of FNS chefs doing Cutthroat Kitchen, I feel that I am forced to watch this show that I hate. I think that they were right though sending Kenny home.

[cooksdelight]

I don't think it was fair they had two different food challenges... with different obstacles. Put them all on the same playing field, and STOP with the pimping of Alton's bad show.

 

Sarah/Pageant Girl... please leave... soon.

 

Glad Kenny was the goner, he really ticks me off for some reason.

 

Nicole had no pasta.. and she was safe? WTF??

[rustyspigot]

What the hell was Rosie the Riveter wearing at judging? It's not a bargain basement production of Rocky Horror Picture Show, lady.

[Lillybee]

I thought that she looked like she was clubbing at a biker bar. It looked like something that Gemma would wear.

[Totale]

Oh. So that's what Cutthroat Kitchen is like.  I've never seen it because I thought the idea sounded moronic.  I wasn't wrong.

 

Just a wasted week to push the house brand and knock off more cannon fodder. 

 

It's been a year and I've forgotten, do we go to a "final 3" on this show?  If so, my call is whichever of Emma and Nicole has the job, the other one, and cutesmug Chris.  Usually it's a woman they set you up to hate (like the chick from last year who couldn't handle the restaurant Daddy bought her even after Impossible stepped in), but I think they're changing it up and making him the goat this year.  But I could be wrong - I thought they'd hired Emily Retro, too.

Edited June 16, 2014 by Totale

[cooksdelight]

Emily/Retro Rad is a has been. Haven't seen or heard from her anywhere in a very long time.

Emma's voice is so monotone, she'd put me to sleep. Nicole... nothing... she's supposedly from a family of fisherman, but she's not shown any seafood expertise yet.

[Tyrone Biggums]

So wait -- this is supposed to be a show that's supposed to get viewers to like the competitors, and they're so dead-set on pushing Alton's stupid show that they turn everyone into bitter, detestable a-holes?

 

Way to completely miss the point, FN!

[Rick Kitchen]

God, I hate Lenny.  He is so phony, it's ridiculous.  He just checks off the items on the list as to what a cowboy is supposed to look like and sound like.

[ModernWhimsy]

This may sound like a challenge but why exactly is it a requirement that a FN host be able to think on their feet or be adaptable? They make it seem like FN is live or on a really short delay like a shopping channel host taking live calls. FN is scripted and edited!

This episode was rather bland, much like ariagjyian's food. /snicker

Kenny's breakfast to go sounded great....why did he muddle it with so many ingredients??? He was annoying but not nearly as much as the blonde girl with all of the talking heads. She is screamy.

[GaT]

Well, I hated that just as much as I thought it would, what a stupid show Cutthroat Kitchen is, I certainly won't be watching it, I've already wasted an hour of my life watching this.

 

I don't know what Kenny was thinking, that concoction of his looked horrible, he deserved to go.

 

 

This may sound like a challenge but why exactly is it a requirement that a FN host be able to think on their feet or be adaptable? They make it seem like FN is live or on a really short delay like a shopping channel host taking live calls. FN is scripted and edited!

 

That's exactly what I was thinking, they don't do most of the shows live, why does it matter how much they can think on their feet? When they did the Thanksgiving show live, I think Giada proved that she can't think on her feet at all, but I don't think that FN is getting rid of her.

[cooksdelight]

I was hoping Giada's absence would be a permanent thing, but who am I to kid myself....

This is the first season that I really don't give a shit who wins. Lenny is still my favorite, only because he doesn't annoy the piss out of me.

[leighdear]

FN stars do make appearances at live demos, festivals & such so adaptability is a good trait to have.  But like many others, I don't like CTK, so I didn't enjoy this episode very much.  If they do a version of "Guys Grocery Games", I'm out!  *LOL*

 

Kenny definitely deserved to go.  But didn't they slam Lenny on just one item, the sopapilla-type thing?  I thought they liked the egg pie he made.  Seems extreme to trash him so thoroughly over 1 small side, but maybe I mis-heard their comments on the pie.

[HyeChaps]

I didn't miss Giada one bit.

[SassySenior]

The best thing about last night's episode was that there was no Giada... but for those who missed her........ with no disrespect to all the adorable pugs out there!   AND, Holy cannoli!!! Rosie-Riveter,  pleeeeeeeeze do us all a favor, and wear more clothing. That outfit was enough to make anyone who may have prepared and consumed a delicious, competition-winning dish, want to puke!  Memo to Bob & Susie: Ditch the idea of having challenges that are direct off-shoots of some of your regular programming. 

[Whimsy]

Kenny definitely deserved to go.  But didn't they slam Lenny on just one item, the sopapilla-type thing?  I thought they liked the egg pie he made.  Seems extreme to trash him so thoroughly over 1 small side, but maybe I mis-heard their comments on the pie.

 

This is exactly what I was thinking.  Also, even though it was a little rushed, I liked his story about the "quiche" and "egg pie".  I guess what works for kids works for cowboys, too!

[MortysCleaningLady]

Not going to miss Where's Waldo/Kenny.  He seems to understand marketing, but not food.  Actually, after typing that, I'm wondering why he didn't win!  Susie and Bob would think he was perfect!!

 

I wish I could taste some of the food.  Cowboy Lenny's food looks great and I really wonder about the bread he made.  Monotone NPR DJ Emma looks like she can really cook.  Christopher the New Orleans chef also seems to be presenting marvelous meals. 

 

I wish I could actually taste Aryen's food.  I had called her as the winner at the beginning (based on resumes).  She still could win it, but she needs to start talking about her grandmother more (if she can kind of cook).  (Although, the hot pepper seemed to be an issue.  There are more spices than pepper.)

 

Why wasn't Nicole on the bottom?  A lack of past should have been a concern.

Loreal needs never to wear that outfit on television again.  (Can someone call Clinton and Stacy from What Not To Wear?  That needs to be trashed.)

Date Night Diva can go home already. I'll even take Kenny back to make her go away.  So much talking.  So much fake drama.  And I don't remember what she made, aside from trying to flirt with Bobby. 

[leighdear]

 

And I don't remember what she made, aside from trying to flirt with Bobby.

Quinoa and eggs.  *UGH*  I don't think even die-hard vegans or natural foodies regularly dish up Quinoa for breakfast.  Plus, her deliberate pandering to Bobby was ridiculous.  I'm really glad he called her out on it.  

 

As for Christopher, he related how his Bloody Mary inspired pasta dish related to the restaurant he WORKS at, but not to him personally.  Since I don't like him, I'm gonna nitpick him to death anyway....*LOL*

[ari333]

Well, the stomped "wine" looked beyond disgusting to the max.

 

Aryan (Orian to me, the way I keep wanting to type it) just kept adding red pepper flakes. Ok I love them, but come on. There are other ways to give a dish flavor. "Flavor" doesn't translate for me to, "See how hot you can make it and still be able to swallow it." Yikes. For some reason, I'm just not buying her bit. 

 

Never heard of CTK. It seems absurd and not in the humorous way. Interesting that Bowtie Chris was already a CTK champ. (?) So some get hampered and some get a pass. MmmK. It almost looked like The Other Chris' strategy was just not to participate at all in the auction/slash/game. As in he thought, "Don't saddle anyone with anything" and then hope he didn't get picked/saddled himself.

 

Did the one woman, Nicole, with no pasta  lose her pasta somehow? Or did she not choose to "shop" for any pasta in the first place from the pantry or whatever?

 

We, here at the house, are sure than Lenny's belt buckle is getting bigger.

Edited June 16, 2014 by ari333

[jennifer6973]

She didn't shop for pasta

[xaxat]

I think there is a big difference between an on air personality and a gimmicky shtick. Lenny falls into shtick for me and I don't like it at all. 

 

I'm rooting for Emma ( I know someone who knows her.) But now that her voice has been (accurately) compared to an NPR announcer I can't help but think about Schweddy Balls when I see her on screen. (Emma really does sound like Molly Shannon's character.)

Edited June 16, 2014 by xaxat

[ari333]

Omg I was just about to post that about the SNL NPR radio skits. hee. Emma just needs to get a little more whispery and she'll have it down pat. "Good times... good times...." :)

[potatoradio]

 

Nicole had no pasta.. and she was safe? WTF??

 

But she talked about her parents or grandparents or some other family tree branch and Sicily and the family fishing boat!  Why would ignoring a basic premise of the challenge be important? Weren't you completely mesmerized when she talked about her family fishing boat? Stop paying attention to cooking and pay attention to the POV, dang it! :)

 

Um, judges? This viewer was NOT magically transported to Emma's Family Alpine Outing by her mentioning her fam-i-wee sto-wee. For the love of all things family, please stop assuming we all have the emotional IQ of a dumpling.

 

I don't really have a discrimminating palate, but I have eaten bulgur for breakfast, so it's not a total stretch for me to see quinoa offered (shut up, Alton). But, yeah, pageant girl needs to go away and stop giving herself the vapors over how clever or daring she thinks she is.

 

OK, I confess total ignorance, but are there seriously still "real" cowboys out there? And, if there are, have they seriously not interacted with modern America at all and just watched old Westerns for instructions on how to talk? Maybe I don't want to know the answer to that question.

 

 

And I was so happy to read all the resentment at being forced to watch (more or less) an episode of that crapfest CTK. Well, not happy for anyone's pain, but I happy that I wasn't alone. Anyway, didn't work, FN. I am not going to watch CTK, now matter how you try to manipulate me into it. FU for wasting an ep.

 

 

[Bella]

I've had quinoa for breakfast at a bed and breakfast, and in 1998 I saw a "real cowboy" working in an area outside Glacier National Park. My cousin's daughter was training to be a horse whisperer in 2009, but I don't know where she ended up working or if she ended up being a "cowgirl." (We're not real close with that branch of the family, as you can see.)

[cooksdelight]

There are real cowboys. Some who can cook really well. See the "Chopped" past competitors' thread.

Lenny is striving to be a "personality" or whatever the hell you want to call it. But he says he can cook out in the wild, so I guess he needs to dress to fit the part. Sort of.

[Sims Addict]

The only person's show I would watch at this point is Aryan and maybe Loreal. Glad Kenny bought it. Now, it's time for Chris, Lenny, and pageant girl to go.

[jennifer6973]

I like Lenny and his cowboy ways.

 

I didn't like pageant girl at all in the first episode, because she reminded me of Jenny McCarthy.  The last two episodes I've begun to like her a little bit and didn't mind her pandering to Bobby.

[BensBritches]

Every year, we seem to say the same thing... enough with the family stories and more cooking demo/explanation please. And every year, we get zilch in terms of changes. What in the world makes the FN think what I want out of my cooking "host" is to hear about their great grandfather's mother-in-law's German heritage and love of sauerkraut for date night? Seriously where is this demo of audience members who are clamoring for more and more personal stories and less and less food knowledge? Because it's certainly no one in the Britches household, that's for sure.

I don't give a rat's patootie about anyone's family, their background or even really their ethnic heritage. I'm sick of the contestants being "forced" into an ethnic box or a particular style of cooking due to whatever their Mommy made for them when they skinned their knees... Jeez Louise, when will it end??

Because it can't be said enough- Shut the F Up and Cook, Damn It!!!

Pageant Girl has got to go. I don't understand why she is getting so much air time, or why we ALWAYS have to see her over-dramatic reactions to every single little itty bitty thing that happens on this show. I cannot stand this woman (or little girl as she tends to act like) and I need her to be gone last week. Her presence alone is making me hate this show.

Last week I was in Lenny's camp, but this week I didn't find him endearing at all. And didn't it seem like his story of cooking on the chuckwagon went on forever, while everyone else was cut off at 30 seconds? I kept thinking "any minute they are going to stop him" but nope, he went on and on and on and on and on.

Don't like CTK, but I did find the challenge of cooking on the little stove to be kind of cute. Lil Britches was all like, "I wanna do that." One step up from her Easy Bake Oven...

[Tyrone Biggums]

The more I've thought about this since last night, the more annoyed it makes me.

 

ALL WE HEARD ABOUT last night was people's POV.  Tila mentioned it on every freaking "meal" he ate.  We're several episodes into the show now.  Can we just see these people's skills (and have Aryen make anything remotely edible) and quit hearing this nonsense about POVs?

 

Even worse, the Cutthroat Kitchen stuff just grated.  I'm no Lenny fan, by ANY stretch, but every single freaking person on there last night spent the entire episode just going after him.  It started in the open, and just got worse.  Even the hosts got in on the act.  I'm not saying I'd ever watch Lenny's show, but I can absolutely tell you I wouldn't watch anything put on by the rest of those bitter, petty malcontents.  That show is at least easily tuned out when it's the regular band of disposable jagoffs from whom we'll never have to hear again after watching Alton's weekly crapfest.  These people are trying to compete for a show and gain fans, and there's not a single tolerable person in the bunch, especially after last night.

[xaxat]

Every year, we seem to say the same thing... enough with the family stories and more cooking demo/explanation please. And every year, we get zilch in terms of changes. What in the world makes the FN think what I want out of my cooking "host" is to hear about their great grandfather's mother-in-law's German heritage and love of sauerkraut for date night? Seriously where is this demo of audience members who are clamoring for more and more personal stories and less and less food knowledge? Because it's certainly no one in the Britches household, that's for sure.

 

 

This is also something that is plaguing Chopped as well. On TWoP I wrote that I wanted people to start making shit up.

 

"Well Giada, I was left on the steps of a convent when I was a wee babe, so I don't have any family culinary influences. But when I was twelve I ran away from the nuns and hit the rails. This dish is inspired by a one eyed hobo who taught me how to dumpster dive and cook baked beans in a can."

[jumper sage]

Count me in as a viewer who hated last night's theme.  I have always been against Cutthroat Kitchen.  I hate when people don't treat a kitchen with the safeness it deserves.  I DVRd the show and then went to the end.  I did catch that tiny kitchen and .......I must have one.

 

I'm with you all, I can't stand the backgrounds, ethnicities and cute stories of the Food Network.  Just cook!  One of my favorite cooking shows comes from Canada and I like it because it is just cooking with some good advice tossed in now and then.

[jackjill89]

I know the Cutthroat Kitchen episode wasn't a fave...but I have to admit, I LOVED the tiny kitchen and watching Reuben try to cook in it with the teeny tiny utensils and itty bitty pots and pans and then have the one judge say the portions were small. Hilarious. I don't think it told you one thing about the chefs or how they would be at hosting a show, but it amused me and got rid of Kenny or Kevin or whatever his name was, so I'm OK with that. When Kenny/Kevin was describing his dish it reminded me of the episode of "Friends" when Rachel tried to make the trifle and got the recipe mixed up with the one for Shepherd's Pie so she put both sweet and savory ingredients into it. Hers was a gross error for comedic effect...his was on purpose. Who wants to eat pancake, egg, creamy stuff and fruit out of a single cup? Yuck. 

[Geeky Girl]

I'm laughing at the Rachel Green reference! I hate the POV. I watched PBS cooking shows and The Chew when they have no guests or legit cooking guests instead of FN.

[Alapaki]

But she talked about her parents or grandparents or some other family tree branch and Sicily and the family fishing boat!

 

 

I swear, if one of these contestants talked about how their "Grandma" used to tell them about how she'd make sauerkraut while she informed for Nazis on the folks hiding in the attic next door, they'd gush over how she made her "story" sooooo relate-able.  

[Psychobunny]

Just randomly wanted to add that I think pancakes made with chopped-up chocolate-covered bacon bits could be awesome.  However, I could never be on FNS because my grandmother couldn't cook.

[Aquarius]

I loved Nicole before this week's episode. I love her double now. She called it SAUCE. Even when served with a meatball. I want to have her baby.

I have never watched Alton's How Big A Douchebag - uh - Cutthroat Kitchen. Like other posters, I never would. But OMG! That teeny potato masher! Soooo effing cute.

Kenny wasn't much of a surprise. He pretty much got a week's grace. I nearly barfed at the mere description of his dish

Alton: I thought it sounded awful, but I didn't have to eat any of it.

Bobby: Trust me, it wasn't good.

Hee. If things don't work out with Nicole, Bobby's my Plan B.

[phoenix780]

Well, the stomped "wine" looked beyond disgusting to the max.

 

It's OK because they just threw it away.  Let's hear it for wasted food!

 

Lenny and Pageant Girl are the same person to me except she's not playing up her schtick enough.  I eagerly await the moment where they tell Lenny to either dig in and make it more realistic (I sometimes doubt his accent) or question his authenticity.  Right now, I find him to be a children's performer...which could be kind of an awesome show for FN to have. 

 

I for one was glad they dedicated tonight's episode to Cutthroat Kitchen, which must be soaring in the ratings to get this extra plug/homage.  I was also thrilled to tears when they brought out the little kitchen.  Way to riff on such a classic episode of television, FN.  Nicely done.  

 

I wonder if Giada boycotted the informercial.

 

Also- did both winners get $2500?  If so, what the hell was the point of not just bidding your full wad of cash?  Even if they did...if I'm aiming for, y'know, a career and fame, I'd just throw down the full amount on the last item to have that control.  Not that it ultimately mattered (which was funny 'cause it undermines the need for a show about sabotages if the basic cooking on their show to find a star can still be that off-the-mark).  

 

About the stories- add me to the list of those tired of them.  It's always grandma, she's always an immigrant, there's always Sunday Night Dinner.  I personally don't relate to that story, I feel like there have to be other things to talk about to make a person interesting.  And also too in addition, Grandma apparently didn't bother teaching her that you need spaghetti to make spaghetti and meatballs, so...not sure how that helps buttress her authority.

[sarah82]

Alton said the winners got whatever money they had left after bidding. So no, they did not get the $2,500 regardless.

 

Add me to the list of people who did not like Cutthroat Kitchen tie in. It seemed so mean-spirited and pointless.

 

I did not like Loreal's outfit at judging, but at least her hair looked semi-normal and non-shticky.

[ramble]

Ugh I hate Cutthroat Kitchen. I quit watching after a couple of episodes because I find it stupid. Just ugh. I half-watched this because I just could care less with the sabotage crap. Did I say ugh? Because ugh!

My biggest takeaway was that the stupid cowboy needs to shut his stupid mouth. It's as though he memorized every clichéd comment in the super secret cowboy handbook & just spits them out at random. If he says something about a snake in his boot I may shoot my tv.

Breakfast barf in a cup is not a quick morning alternative doofus. You managed to make McDonald's yogurt parfait seem superior. It's impressive in a backwards fashion.

I want to try the chocolate bacon squishy cheese sandwich thing. It sounded interesting.

[RealityGal]

God, I hate Lenny.  He is so phony, it's ridiculous.  He just checks off the items on the list as to what a cowboy is supposed to look like and sound like.

 

What are you talking about buckaroo??? :)

 

I know the Cutthroat Kitchen episode wasn't a fave...but I have to admit, I LOVED the tiny kitchen and watching Reuben try to cook in it with the teeny tiny utensils and itty bitty pots and pans and then have the one judge say the portions were small. Hilarious. I don't think it told you one thing about the chefs or how they would be at hosting a show, but it amused me and got rid of Kenny or Kevin or whatever his name was, so I'm OK with that. When Kenny/Kevin was describing his dish it reminded me of the episode of "Friends" when Rachel tried to make the trifle and got the recipe mixed up with the one for Shepherd's Pie so she put both sweet and savory ingredients into it. Hers was a gross error for comedic effect...his was on purpose. Who wants to eat pancake, egg, creamy stuff and fruit out of a single cup? Yuck. 

 

He kept saying "parfait" and I was thinking "can't I buy one of those at McDonalds?"  So I figured making it with a pancake and a chicaronne might be a legitimate thing, I feel like it might have been good if he had made it with just certain elements.  But I feel like Kenny just made a pancake, and some cream, some fruit compote and put it in a cup.  It just looked awful.  He should have quit.

 

He should have gone home last week and then I could have kept listening to/looking at Luka.  I don't care if he lives on the second floor and I think I've seen him before (that goes out to whoever made that funny comment last week about the song)

My biggest takeaway was that the stupid cowboy needs to shut his stupid mouth. It's as though he memorized every clichéd comment in the super secret cowboy handbook & just spits them out at random. If he says something about a snake in his boot I may shoot my tv.

 

 

I think I was most impressed in the end when he managed to squash every cowboy cliche into a single thought.  "You just have to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and live to ride another day" or something along those lines.  It was special

Just randomly wanted to add that I think pancakes made with chopped-up chocolate-covered bacon bits could be awesome.  However, I could never be on FNS because my grandmother couldn't cook.

Did she at least come over here on a boat?  You could make that work on this show

[cooksdelight]

I really DID learn to cook by watching my grandmother. I'd have to come up with something strange about her to make it work on this show.

[RealityGal]

I really DID learn to cook by watching my grandmother. I'd have to come up with something strange about her to make it work on this show.

 

did she come over here on a boat?  was she ever on a boat?  maybe a cruise somewhere?  did she tell you stories about the old country?  did she tell you any stories while you were cooking and/or eating?  did she have a club foot?  maybe a webbed foot?

[cooksdelight]

Not a boat in sight, we live/lived in the mountains of rural NC. Nothing funky about her feet. She did talk to herself a lot.

[RealityGal]

Not a boat in sight, we live/lived in the mountains of rural NC. Nothing funky about her feet. She did talk to herself a lot.

 

Now thats a good grandma story.  I feel like you and your grandmother have what it takes to go all the way.  As long as she didn't tell you to put a pancake in a cup, cover it with cream and compote top if off with a pork rind and call it breakfast I think you have a winner.  I've been to the south, she probably did teach you a lot about delicious food...

[MortysCleaningLady]

I wonder if Giada boycotted the informercial.

 

 

I thought Giada was off 'comforting' Luca who got the boot last week.  He might have needed a sympathetic shoulder upon which to cry.

[RealityGal]

Not going to miss Where's Waldo/Kenny.  He seems to understand marketing, but not food.  Actually, after typing that, I'm wondering why he didn't win!  Susie and Bob would think he was perfect!!

 

Kenny's exit interview summed up everything I think is wrong with this show.  It was literally an "oh well, I just couldn't seem to cook, but I had a good story!  Oh well, what are you gonna do?" - I can't think of any other chef show like this where a contestant is totally fine with the fact that they can't cook...on a reality show about cooking!  On something called THE FOOD NETWORK!  That they would even cast a chef who doesn't seem to know how to cook makes me wonder how many "Food Network" personalities really are sub par cooks with big personalities.

 

Every time a contestant on Top Chef is told that they can't cook, at that their food is under par, they take it so personally, they are so offended, they might get defensive and egotistical, they are committed to turning it all around at all costs...no matter what.  Not a one of them just shrugs their shoulders and says "oh well, I guess I  just couldn't really cook well....WTF?"  I mean if you are on a cooking show, a cooking contest, on a food channel, shouldn't you have some passion for your food?  Is it really all about star image and personality?  

Edited June 17, 2014 by RealityGal

[Aquarius]

It's always grandma, she's always an immigrant, there's always Sunday Night Dinner. 

 

Ah, but this time a GRANDPA story came out of the tiny kitchen.  And it was breakfast not dinner.  Very refreshing.